Debugging ASP.NET Core Applications: Accessing Kestrel from Remote Computers

How to Access and Debug an ASP.NET Core Application Running in Kestrel from Another Computer on the Local Network

If you are developing using .NET Core or later versions and you want to access the application you are developing running on https://localhost:5001 from another computer on the Local Area Network (LAN), you can follow the instructions below:

1. Adjust your launchSettings.json file:

   • Locate the launchSettings.json file, which can be found under the Properties folder in your project structure.
   • Adjust the applicationUrl setting to listen for traffic from all IP addresses/Network interfaces. Modify it as follows: "applicationUrl": "https://0.0.0.0:5001"

2. Open port 5001 in the Firewall:

   • Ensure that port 5001 is open in the Firewall on the computer running the ASP.NET Core application. This allows TCP connections to pass through.
   • By opening this port, you enable incoming connections from other devices on the network.

3. Start the application:

   • Make sure the application is able to start on port 5001 on the local machine. Run the application as usual.

4. Access the application from another computer on the same network:

   • On the remote computer, open a web browser and enter the full local address of the computer running the application. For example, if the local IP address is 172.35.0.34, you would enter https://172.35.0.34:5001.
   • By accessing the application using the local IP address, you should be able to successfully connect to the ASP.NET Core application running in Kestrel on the local machine.

By following these steps, you can access and debug your ASP.NET Core application from another computer on the local network, allowing for easier testing and debugging scenarios.